UNC-Chapel Hill adopts gender-neutral housing

Trustees of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have endorsed a policy which will allow students to live in dorm rooms and apartments with roommates of the opposite gender beginning next school year.

The board of trustees unanimously endorsed Thursday "gender-neutral" housing. Supporters of the gender non-specific housing option say the move would help students - specifically gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students - who are being harassed and bullied in traditional on-campus housing.

Students will be able to apply for the option of choosing roommates of either gender in campus dorms and apartments. The university already has coed dorms but students of the opposite sex do not share rooms.

Chancellor Holden Thorp said the move is vital to protecting the safety of UNC-Chapel Hill students.

Maximum fines for carnival ride accidents similar to the one at the 2013 North Carolina State Fair that injured several people could go up by five or ten times in legislation that's cleared the state House.